Funny Girl

Funny Girl

A self-proclaimed “ham,” actress Kelly Stables reconnects with ALIVE to hype her new sitcom, her St. Louis past andbleach. After all, blondes have more fun.

Standing just shy of 5 feet, Kelly Stables is “cute” in the traditional sense—but, few who have seen her at work would sell her so short. Behind a flourishing stage and film career for more than a decade, the St. Louis-bred actress is a more complicated character. Her spunk and stature call to mind Kelly Ripa, her sarcasm and comedic timing beg references to the infamous Karen Walker, and thanks to her colorful resume, you get the feeling she could impersonate anyone in pop culture better than a cast member on “Saturday Night Live”—any star under the age of 20, for sure. All too familiar with skewing young, she’s played an evil little girl (Samara, in “The Ring Two”), a “tiny blonde” (in “Bring It On Again”), Cindy Brady (in “A Very Brady Musical”) and teenage versions of everyone from Carol Kane to “General Hospital’s” Bobbie Spencer. while her most recent character—Eden on TV Land’s “The Exes,” which just launched its second season—is an adult, Stables is quick to admit she’s somewhat “immature.” It is her “cute” way of saying the little lady is a tramp.

ALIVE: A lot has changed since we first met at your ALIVE cover shoot in 2007. For one, you’re no longer a redhead!

Kelly Stables: You know, I went blonde on accident. I went with my friend to get her hair done, and the lady talked me into putting some highlights in—and it didn’t end up looking so good. So, I went to Walgreens at midnight and found this product called color goop, which takes away any bad color jobs. It made me look blonde! I just so happened to have an audition the next day that I booked for “The Bold and the Beautiful.” Then I did an audition the following week for a TV show called “Life.” I was still blonde, and I booked that, too. So, I decided to keep it!

ALIVE: Well, it must be working for you. You’ve had a busy five years!

KS: TV is really what has been keeping me busy. I had a recurring role on “Two And A Half Men” for three seasons, starting in 2008. Not only was it a super fun time and, I think, just a great time to be on that show, but it really opened doors it led to my first series-regular role in a pilot with Alyssa Milano [2010’s “Romanti>cally Challenged”] and now “The Exes.” It’s been exciting!

ALIVE: With all of the buzz surrounding “Two And A Half Men,” was the set as wild as one might expect?

KS: You know, I was on there for Seasons 6, 7 and 8. When I started, Charlie [Sheen] had gotten married, he had his twins…he was like sunshine! But, I think—no matter what you do— there are always going to be people who have issues. Not every work situation is perfect, just like no relationship is perfect and no family is perfect. I was just grateful for the opportunity.

ALIVE: I wouldn’t doubt it. How fun was that role?

KS: I have to say, I think Melissa [Jon Cryer’s character’s recurring girlfriend] on “Two And A Half Men” will always be close to my heart. The writing on the show was great. Now, the character I get to play on “The Exes” is also a lot of fun, and that’s because of the cast: Donald Faison from “Scrubs,” Wayne Knight from “Seinfeld,” Kristen Johnston from “Third Rock from the Sun” and David Alan Basche, this brilliant new york actor. Let’s just say, I really like going to work.

ALIVE: Your character has been called everything from a “perpetual partier” to a “tiny tramp.” How would you describe her?

KS: Eden enjoys life, a lot. Mentally and socially, she’s kind of stuck back in the sorority—and that’s okay. She’s surrounded by people who have all been, like, completely heartbroken by their exes, and she has no part in that. She’ll just start dancing. And, then, she’ll be like, “who wants to go dance some more?” She’s maybe a little immature, but she’s also really smart.

ALIVE: What experiences would you credit for your early acting bug?

KS: The first play I ever saw was “Annie” and that was at the Fox Theatre. I must have been in first grade at the time. I remember seeing it in the big, beautiful theater and not knowing exactly what was happening onstage, but loving it. Something really resonated with me. And then, in fourth grade at Green Pines [Elementary School], I tried out for this play and did it. I just really loved pretending, telling a story and getting to sing. Fortunately, Lafayette [high school] offered lots of plays and musicals. My grandma and mom would take me to the muny in the summer, and my dad took me to see “Phantom of the Opera” at the Fox. St. Louis offered many outlets to see theater, and it allowed me to really think, “Hey, I’d like to try and do this one day.” ALIVE: Other than on “The Exes,” where can we expect to see you in the near future?

KS: I have a couple of movies that should be coming out this year. One of them is called “Should’ve Been Romeo” with Ed Asner and Carol Kane. I play Michael Rapaport’s assistant. It’s sort of an independent comedy. And, I was part of this amazing project called “Zambesia,” a feature animation that takes place in South Africa; I played a gossip bird who works in a hair salon dyeing feathers. Other than that, I’m writing; I have a couple of feature screenplays in the works, and I just hope people like them!

ALIVE: When you have time to come back to St. Louis, what do you like to do?

KS: Well, this is awful, but I’ll tell you; I love to go to Silky Freeze, which I still refer to as Lix. And, just down from that, the other thing I love is Steak ‘n Shake. Oh, and Lion’s Choice; we don’t have that [in Los Angeles]; I love me some LC. Also, my grandma’s house. She’s 90 years old and lives in brentwood in the same house where she raised my mom. I love St. Louis. It will always be my home. One of my favorite things is seeing all the red hats and everyone wearing their Rams stuff at the airport when I come home. St. Louis has a lot of team spirit! I’m a Cardinals fan for life.